Black Eyed Pea Fritters
While in Burkina Faso, I spent some time in my mother’s village of Nouna, in the southwestern part of the country near the border with Mali. It was a very rewarding and entertaining time during which I got to know my extended family and partake in village activities. I particularly enjoyed helping my extended cousin prepare Tomsos, which she sold every afternoon in front of the house. Tomsos are black eyed pea fritters very similar in taste to the Northeastern Brazilian street food Acaraje. The name Acaraje is derived from the Nigerian Akara, which was brought to Brazil by West African slave. In fact, black eyed pea fritters are a very common West African street food that can be found from Cote d’Ivoire to Nigeria under various names such samsa, tomso, gawoo and akara. Continue reading Black Eyed Pea Fritters
By Raissa Nebie on July 8, 2010 | 0
Pure Unadulterated Lamb
Ouagadougou may not rank high on the list of top vacation spots, but when it comes to good meat, aficionados know to come here to get it. Farming is a big part of the economy and thus, the city boasts a multitude of roadside shacks that make use of the most rudimentary methods to create some of the most succulent meat specialties. The choices vary from grilled offals on a stick to whole animals roasted to perfection, enough to make Anthony Bourdain and Sandra Lee make out at a dinner table. Continue reading Pure Unadulterated Lamb
By Raissa Nebie on May 30, 2010 | 1
Back in the Game
Dear Readers,
After a long hiatus, we are finally back to the blogosphere with a new design and upcoming stories from the other side of the Atlantic. Yours truly has embarked on yet another transatlantic adventure and will be blogging from West Africa for the next few weeks. I am currently “Bourdaining” it up in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso where I’m visiting family and dodging scary salamanders on a daily basis. After jumping through countless hoops, I finally have a decent internet connection, and thus will try to capture and share as much as I can through an assortment of visual delights. Until then, I leave you with a map of Burkina so you can better picture my location.
By Raissa Nebie on May 17, 2010 | Comments Off
Crepes Citron Miel – 2 Eggs. Breakfast for 4.
The East Coast received another snow storm warning today. I feel bad for DC. Just when they thought the snowpocalyspe was over, another snow storm is preparing to hit the town again. We, New Yorkers expected a few inches last weekend as well, but we got nada. I don’t really know what’s going to happen this time. But if for some reason you find yourself snowed in with only two eggs in the refrigerator and a family of four to cook breakfast for, here’s a way to make it happen. Continue reading Crepes Citron Miel – 2 Eggs. Breakfast for 4.
By Raissa Nebie on February 9, 2010 | 0
Vanilla Cupcakes with Pop Rocks
Looks like the Fierce and Sweet bake-off win was the ego booster I needed to morph into a baking enthusiast. Up until then, I used to think that baking was an activity better left in the hands of the likes of Pierre Herme, Gaston Lenotre and Francois Payard. But after a series of successful experiments, I can say that I now fancy baking cakes. So for my friend’s birthday, I decided to surprise her with cupcakes. Since she likes simple flavors, I opted for vanilla cupcakes. This recipe has become my go-to recipe for cupcakes. Every now and then, I ditch the vanilla extract for amaretto, but the proportions remain the same. Continue reading Vanilla Cupcakes with Pop Rocks
By Raissa Nebie on February 1, 2010 | 0
